I don't know if this will be useful to you: here are the transcriptions of four recordings of this ballad. R

a) Robin Hood's Death And Burial
Wallace House, Robin Hood Ballads, Folkways F-6839, 1953, 1962

When Robin Hood and Little John
With a Hey down, down a down, down
Went o'er yon bank of ground
Said Robin Hood to Little John:
We've shot for many a pound
Hey down, down a down, down

But I am not able to shoot one shot more
With a Hey down, down a down, down
My arrows they will not flee
But I have a cousin that lives down below
Please God she will bleed me
Hey down, down a down, down

And when that he came to fair Kirkley Hall
With a Hey down, down a down, down
He knock-ed all at the ring
But none was so ready as his cousin herself
For to let bold Robin in
Hey down, down a down, down

She took him by the lily-white hand
With a Hey down, down a down, down
And led him to a private room
And there she blooded bold Robin Hood
Whilst one drop of blood would run
Hey down, down a down, down

She blooded him in the vein of the arm
With a Hey down, down a down, down
And lock-ed him up in the room
And there he did bleed all the live-long day
Until the next day at noon
Hey down, down a down, down

He bethought him then of his bugle-horn
With a Hey down, down a down, down
Which hung low down to his knee;
He set his horn unto his mouth
And blew out weak blasts three
Hey down, down a down, down

Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone
With a Hey down, down a down, down
As fast as he can dree
But when he came to Kirkley-Hall
He broke locks two or three
Hey down, down a down, down

A boon, a boon - cries Little John
With a Hey down, down a down, down
O master, I beg of thee
It is to burn fair Kirkley-Hall
And all their nunnery!
Hey down, down a down, down

Now nay, now nay - quoth Robin Hood
With a Hey down, down a down, down
That boon I'll not grant to thee
I never hurt fair maid in my time
Nor at my end shall it be
Hey down, down a down, down

But give me my bent bow in my hand
With a Hey down, down a down, down
And an arrow I will let flee
And where this arrow is taken up
There shall my grave digg-ed be
Hey down, down a down, down

O, lay me a green sod under my head
With a Hey down, down a down, down
And another at my feet
And lay my bent bow by my side
Which was my music sweet
Hey down, down a down, down

These words they readily promis-ed him
With a Hey down, down a down, down
Which did bold Robin please
And there they buried bold Robin Hood
Near to the fair Kirkleys
Hey down, down a down, down

b) Robin Hood's Death
Art Thieme, The Older I Get, The Better I Was, concert recordings from three decades, Waterbug WBG 0045 (1998; song recorded 1979; learned – two verses- from Wes Asbury, a former police chief of Whitewater, Wisconsin).

In Locksley town, in Nottinghamshire
Merry sweet Locksley town
It was there bold Robin was born and bred
Bold Robin, of famous renown

The father of Robin a forester was
He drew a lusty strong bow
His mother was niece to the Coventry knight
Who slew the blue boar as men know

Robin Hood and Little John
Went o'er yon field of broom
Says Robin Hood to Little John:
We have shot for many a pound

But I cannot shoot one shot more
My arrows will not flee
But I have a cousin lives down below
Please God, she will bleed me

Robin Hood is to Kirkleys Hall gone
He's knocked upon the pin
And none was so willing as the Prioress herself
To rise and bid him come in

Come in, come in, bold Robin – she said
And have a beer with me –
No, I cannot eat and I cannot drink
Till I am blooded by thee

Now she blooded him in the vein of the arm
She locked him up in a room
And there he bled the livelong day
Until the next at noon

And first he bled the good thick blood
And then he bled the thin
And last bold Robin he knew for sure
That treason was there within

Thinking then of his bugle horn
That hung down by his knee
And placing the horn up against of his lips
He blows weak blasts three

Now you know Little John was standing by
Standing under a tree
Oh, my master sounds to be so near death
He blows so wear-i-ly

Little John's to Kirkleys Hall gone
As fast as he could ride
And there he's broke locks two or three
And there he's gone inside

Oh, a boon, a boon! - cried Little John
Master, a boon grant me!
It's to burn all of fair Kirkleys Hall
And all of its foul nunnery!

Nay, now nay – quoth Robin Hood
Nay, it never shall be
I've never hurt women in all my time
Nor at my end will it be

But place my longbow in my hand
And an arrow I'll let flee
Wherever it does touch down to the ground
There will my grave digge'd be

And lay a sod beneath my head
And another beneath my feet
And lay my longbow by my side
That was my music sweet

And give me length and breadth enough
As ever when I stood
That men will know when they pass by
Here lies bold Robin Hood

These words they readily granted to him
Which did bold Robin please
And there they buried bold Robin Hood
Within the fair Kirkleys

In Locksley town, in Nottinghamshire
Merry sweet Locksley town
It was there bold Robin was born and bred
Bold Robin, of famous renown

The father of Robin a forester was
He drew a lusty strong bow
His mother was niece to the Coventry knight
Who slew the blue boar as men know

c) Robin Hood's Death
Hermes Nye, Early English Ballads from the Percy and Child Collections, Folkways F-2305, 1957

When Robin Hood and Little John
Went o'er yon bank of broom
Said Robin Hood to Little John:
We have shot for many a pound

But I can not shoot one shot more
My broad arrows will not flee
But I have a cousin lives down below
Please God, she will bleed me

The prioress is my aunt's daughter
And nigh unto my kin
She'll do me no harm – said Robin Hood
For all the world to win

And when he came to Kirkly Hall
He tirled at the pin
And none was so ready as the prioress
To let bold Robin in

She blooded him in a vein of the arm
And locked him up in the room
Then did he bleed all the live-long day
Until the next day at noon

And first it bled the thick, thick blood
And afterward the thin
And then good Robin Hood knew well
Treason there was within

He thought him of his bugle-horn
Which hung down at his knee,
He set his horn unto his mouth
And blew out weak blasts three

Then Little John, when hearing him
As he sat under a tree:
I fear my master is now near dead
He blows so wearily

Little John is to Kirkly gone
As fast as he can hie
And when he came to Kirkly Hall
He broke locks two or three

But give my bent bow in my hand
An arrow I'll let flee
And where this arrow is taken up
Shall my grave digged be

Lay me a green sod under my head
And another at my feet
And lay my bent bow by my side
Which was my music sweet

These words they readily granted him
Which did bold Robin please
And there they buried bold Robin Hood
Within the fair Kirklies

d) Robin Hood's Death
Ed McCurdy, The Legend of Robin Hood, Riverside RLP 12-810, 1957

When Robin Hood and Little John
Went o'er yon bank of broom
Said Robin Hood to Little John:
We have shot for many a pound

Now I can not shoot one shot more
My broad arrows will not flee
But I have a cousin lives down below
Please God, she will bleed me

(...)

These words they readily granted him
Which did bold Robin please
And there they buried bold Robin Hood
Within the fair Kirklies